Scrap material processing apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for processing scrap material in a manner to separate magnetic from non-magnetic material and unusable foreign materials from the magnetic material, and to control the size of the final product of magnetic material such that oversize magnetic material may be collected and recycled for further reduction.

United States Patent Williams 1 June 27, 1972 SCRAP MATERIAL PROCESSING APPARATUS Inventor: Robert M. Williams, Ladue, Mo.

Assignee: Williams Patent Crusher & Pulverizer Co.,

Inc., St. Louis, Mo,

Filed: March 26, 1970 Appl. No.1 22,990

US. Cl ..209/38, 209/99, 209/223 Int. ..B03c1/30 Field of Search ..209/38, 2, 12, 223, 228, 393,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,272,330 9/1966 Nelson 209/38 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 640,414 7/1928 France ..209/99 Primary Examiner-Frank W. Lutter Assistant ExaminerWilliam Cuchlinski, Jr. Attorney-Gravely, Lieder & Woodruff [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for processing scrap material in a manner to separate magnetic from non-magnetic material and unusable foreign materials from the magnetic material, and to control the size of the final product of magnetic material such that oversize magnetic material may be collected and recycled for further reduction.

9Claims,5Drawingl lgtues PIJEFTTUJJ JRN 19.72 3,572,495

ROBERT M. W/L L m MS MMAQW SCRAP MATERIAL PROCESSING APPARATUS BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE APPARATUS This invention relates to scrap material processing apparatus, and is particularly directed to improved apparatus whereby magnetic scrap material may be separated from the non-magnetic materials and dirt, collected as to a predetermined size and passed on to a discharge station, while the over-size magnetic material may be collected at a discharge station and recycled.

The embodiment of apparatus herein disclosed is an improvement on similar apparatus heretofore disclosed in my prior application, Ser. No. 845,346, filed July 28, 1969 for Scrap Reducing and Refining Process and Apparatus Therefor."

The apparatus of this disclosure finds great utility in the conservation of natural resources and a lessening of the ever increasing number and size of graveyards for discarded objec s of almost every kind of description. The disposal of the objects that have served a useful life is difficult and does not appear to be easily controlled due to the increasing volume of such objects. However, it is recognized that discarded objects contain a large percentage of metal which if reclaimable, can be recycled into channels for the production of new products. Automobile bodies are just one available source of usually high quality scrap metal which can be salvaged and mixed with virgin metal to produce a source of metal or alloys for fabricating new products.

The present apparatus finds great utility in assisting in the broad process of salvaging scrap metal objects which are capable of being reduced to easily handled size for transfer to the steel mills for conversion to a from that will be returned to the fabricating plants and made into new products. It is, therefore, an important object of this invention to provide apparatus for sizing and densifying scrap metal and for separating the magnetic or ferrous metal from non-magnetic scrap.

Another important object of this invention is to provide novel and improved apparatus which can be incorporated in scrap reclaiming machinery for improving the quality and uniformity of magnetic and ferrous scrap.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear in the following description of a presently preferred embodiment of scrap material processing apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The preferred apparatus is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. IA is a longitudinal sectional elevational view of a portion of the apparatus of this invention;

FIG. [8 is a longitudinal sectional elevational view of the remainder ofthe apparatus seen in FIG. IA;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional elevational view of the apparatus as seen at line 2-2 in FIG. 18;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of a detail of the apparatus, the view being taken in FIG. IA; and

FIG. 4 is a further fragmentary view seen at line 44 in FIG. 1A.

DESCRIPTION OF THE APPARATUS A commercial application for the present apparatus is described in my prior application Ser. No. 845,346, and reference is made to the installation of the densifier unit of said prior application. This apparatus is an improvement on said densificr unit.

FIGS. 1A and ID the apparatus is seen to include a base frame I composed of suitable structural members to support the vibratory superstructure of the material separator and densifier II. The base frame is provided with angularly shaped base cleats 12 secured crosswise of the frame 10. The superstructure is provided with a wide bottom deck plate 13 which extends lengthwise of the base frame. The under side of this bottom deck plate is provided with angularly shaped cleats 14 in spaced alignment with the first mentioned cleats I2, and a plurality of substantial coil springs 15 are suitably captured in end-on abutment with both sets of cleats I2 and 14. A series of control links I6 are pivotally connected to the base frame 10 and to the underside of the bottom deck plate 13. Mid-way of the length of the base frame I0 there is operatively mounted a rotary eccentric unit I7 having suitable end bearings 18. The operating arm 19 of the eccentric unit I7 is pivotally connected by bearing means 20 to the deck plate 13 to vibrate the deck plate and the entire super structure Il. Motor means 2! in the base frame 10 is connected by belt means 22 to the drive pulley 23 of the eccentric unit 17. The unit 17 operates to vibrate the bottom deck plate I3 in a cycle that causes the loose material on the upper surface to travel rightwardly.

The bottom deck plate I3 supports vertical side walls 24 and 25 (FIG. 2) and a plurality of series of transverse beams 26 and 27 and angle members 28 are secured to the side walls. The series of beams 26 located at the inlet end of the apparatus support a scrap receiving platform 29 between side walls 24 and 25. A deflector board 30 extends across the platform receiving deck 29 at a position adjacent the scrap feeding belt 3I.

The feeding belt is carried on a suitable drum pulley 32 mounted on an axle 33 which is carried by a side wall frame 34 attached to the inner sides of the walls 24 and 25. The frame 34 is cut out at 35 for access to a drive motor 36 which drives belt 37 which is connected to a pulley 38 on the axle 33 of drum pulley 32.

Spaced from the scrap feed belt 31 and in line with the scrap receiving platform or deck 29 there is mounted a primary drum 40 rotatable on an axle 41. The drum 40 is hollow to enclose a semi-circular magnet 42 which remains stationary and extends about the drum to a point just beyond the top center of the drum. Cleats 43 on the exterior of the drum assist in lifting the magnetic portions of the scrap material up and over the drum. The drum axle M is supported at its ends on a horizontal beam 44 extending between vertical members 45 of an exterior frame having cross members 46 spanning the width of the apparatus. The side walls 24 and 25 are cut away at the drum location, and the deck 29 stops short of the drum so that a gap space is provided for the gravity discharge of dirt and non-magnetic material.

The rotary drum, driven by a suitable motor M discharges the magnetic scrap upon a sloped deck 47 having side wall portions 24A and 25A (FIG. 2). The deck 47 is spaced from the receiving deck 29 and supported by the series of transverse beams 27 and connecting structure 48 and 49. The rightward end of the deck 47 is connected to a material size discriminator means consisting of a series of tines 50, each of which is tapered and provided with slanted surfaces as seen in FIGS. IA and 2. Each tine is supported by a vertical bracket 51 which is cantilevered from one of the transverse beams 27 and the structure 49. The tapered shape of the tines 50 forms a scrap sizing deck in which the spaces between tines diverge from the deck 47.

The widely spaced ends of the discriminator tines 50 extend above a collecting deck 52 supported between the side walls 24 and 25, whereby too large scrap material may be collected and vibrated onto a transversely sloped chute 53 which opens at one side of the apparatus in a discharge station 54. The deck 52 is provided with an adjustable end portion 52A movable in slide ways 528 so that the size of product reaching the deck below may be selected. Below the collecting deck 52 and extending from below the primary drum 40 is an intermediate deck 55 having a vertical end wall 56 below the drum 40. The deck 55 is carried by the series of angle members 28 and the side walls 24 and 25. This intermediate deck 55 is sloped for a portion of its length, and the discharge end 56 opens adjacent a second drum separator 58 and laterally directed vibratory conveyor 57.

A drum 58 is a secondary magnetic separator similar to the primary drum 40 in that it has a magnet 59 within the drum 58 to separate magnetic from non-magnetic scrap in a second stage separation operation. The drum 58 has its axle 60 supported by horizontal members 61 carried on vertical members 62. Suppression of flying scrap particles at the primary magnetic separator drum 40 is obtained by a suitable hood 63, and a similar hood 64 is mounted at the second drum 58.

As may be seen in FIGS. 1A and 4, the scrap receiving platform or deck 29 (while non-magnetic) has an adjustable nonmagnetic plate 65 slidably mounted under the end of the deck. The mounting of the plate 65 (FIG. 4) at the inner side of wall 24 is effected by a bracket 66 fixed to the side wall 24, A slide shoe 67 fixed to the plate. 65 slides on the bracket 66, and a locking member 68 engages the shoe and moves in a slot 69 in the wall 25. A similar support is provided at side wall 25 so that the plate 65 may be adjusted to increase or reduce the gap space at the primary drum 40 to control the gravity discharge of the dirt and non-magnetic scrap onto the bottom deck 13. The intermediate deck 55 is non-magnetic, at least in the portion adjacent the drum 58, and has an adjustable non-magnetic plate 70 at its discharge end to vary the size of the gap space relative to the secondary drum 58. This second gap space controlled by adjustable plate 70 is made as small as possible since the scrap material moving on the intermediate deck 55 is mostly the end product desired to be recovered. However. some non-magnetic material and dirt will unavoidably be carried over by the primary drum 40 to the deck 47 and move out to fall through the tapered spaces between tines 50. Thus, it is important to provide a second place for gravity separation of this unwanted material.

The deck 47 at the discharge from primary drum 40 is provided with a flop gate 71 mounted on a pivot axis 72. An operating arm 73 is fixed to the flop gate at one or both ends of the gate axis, and springs 74 connected between each arm 73 and a fixed bracket 75 on the side walls 24 or 25, or both side walls. resiliently holds the flop gate up. Should scrap material cling to the drum 40 it will strike the flop gate 71 and depress the gate so as not to jam and stop the drum rotation. The material released through the flop gate 71 moves down the deck 55 to be subjected to magnetic separation at the secondary drum S8. The magnetic product carried over by the drum 58 falls into a chute 76 and is picked up by a discharge vibratory conveyor 77 shown only in fragmentary section in FIG. 1B.

OPERATION OF THE APPARATUS The feed of scrap material from a reducing or shredding mill is conveyed by conveyor belt 31 to the receiving deck 29 of the vibratory separator and densifier 11. The material is moved by vibratory action toward the primary drum 40 and the magnetic portions are raised and carried over the deck 47, A large percentage of non-magnetic material and dirt remains on deck 29 and falls off the end of the adjustable deck plate 65 onto the bottom-most deck 13. The material carried over to deck 47 is vibrated rightwardly onto the tines 50 where the discriminating or material sizing operation takes place. The smallest material will fall through onto intermediate deck 55, and as the material moves over wider spaces between tines 50 it, too, will fall through, untii the leading edge of the collecting deck 52 catches the material that is deemed too large. This large material is conveyed out of the apparatus at chute 53 and may be recycled to the reducing or shredding mill for return at the conveyor 31.

The material of predetermined acceptable size is moved on intermediate deck 55 to the zone of the secondary separator drum S8, and concurrently the dirt and trash falling onto bottorn deck i3 is moved to the discharge chute 57 and is conveyed in a different direction from the apparatus than is the material to be recycled or the final product. The slopping side surfaces of the tines 50 prevent material wedging therein. The material sizing may be selected by the amount the end 52A projects from the deck 52 under the tines. Each time the material reaches a magnetic drum separation of magnetic and nonmagnetic material occurs, and dirt and trash carried along is vibrated out so that the non-magnetic material along with the dirt ans trash is collected, first below drum 40, what remains is collected next on intermediate deck 55 and all thereof is collected finally below drum 58 in chute $7. The flop gate 71 avoids jams at the drum 40, such as might happen when magnetic material does not let go because of the magnet 42. When this happens the gate opens and the material is scraped off by the plate 65 which is better able to perform this function.

What is claimed is:

1. In scrap material processing apparatus, the combination which includes: scrap material feed means bringing magnetic and non magnetic material into the apparatus; a first separator station including means for separating magnetic from nonmagnetic material; a first receiving deck for magnetic material located adjacent said first separator station; a second receiving deck for non-magnetic material, said second deck being gravitationally spaced from said first separator station and from said first receiving deck; a second separator station including material sizing means in said first receiving deck, said sizing means comprising elongated tines having progressively increasing spaces therebetween in the direction of material flow; means gravitationally below a portion of said tines to receive material of a predetermined large size and prevent it mingling with smaller material passing gravitationally through said tines; an intermediate deck below and first deck and said tines to collect the smaller sized material, said first, second and said intermediate decks being stacked one above the other and in longitudinally off-set relation, and means opera tively connected to the apparatus to vibrate said decks and cause flow of the scrap material.

2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said second station includes means for subjecting said smaller sized material to magnetic separation; and means adjacent said second magnetic separation to direct the magnetically separated material out of the apparatus.

3. ln scrap material processing apparatus, the combination which includes: a first deck extending longitudinally in the apparatus; a scrap material receiving deck above said first deck; a second deck longitudinally spaced from said receiving deck; an intermediate deck between said second deck and a portion of said first deck; means in the space between said receiving and second decks operative to separate magnetic from other materials and move the magnetic materials onto said second deck, said receiving deck having a discharge for said other materials adjacent said magnetic separator means and above said first deck; means adjacent said second deck to dis criminate between acceptable and unacceptable sizes of magnetic material; a collecting deck between said discriminating means and said intermediate deck to collect the unacceptable material independently of the material collected by said intermediate deck; and means to vibrate said decks to cause the material to flow along said decks.

4. The apparatus set forth in claim 3 wherein said magnetic separating means includes a rotary drum at the space between said receiving and second decks, and each of said receiving and second decks having means adjacent said drum to vary the spacing with said drum.

5. The apparatus set forth in claim 3 wherein said receiving deck has a material discharge adjacent said magnetic separa tor means, and an adjustable Plate is operatively mounted adjacent said discharge from said receiving deck, said plate being movable toward and away from said separator means.

6. The apparatus set forth in claim 3 wherein said second deck includes a flop gate adjacent said magnetic separator, and means resiliently supporting said gate to engage magnetic material released onto said second deck and to yield to material magnetically retained on said magnetic separator.

7. ln scrap material processing apparatus, the combination which includes: a material receiving deck and a first deck spaced therefrom in substantially the same elevational plane; magnetic separator means at said space between said decks to lift magnetic material from said receiving deck and drop it on said first deck; material size discriminating means adjacent said first deck including elements arranged in spaced outwardly diverging relation to allow progressively larger magnetic scrap material to pass through with distance travelled from said first deck; a second deck gravitationally spaced from said discriminating means to catch smaller magnetic material dropping through said diverging spaces; means between said discriminating means and said second deck and located under the spaced elements to cut-off gravitational passage of predetermined larger sizes of magnetic scrap material onto said second deck, and means operatively connected to the apparatus to vibrate said decks and cause the material to flow. 

1. In scrap material processing apparatus, the combination which includes: scrap material feed means bringing magnetic and nonmagnetic material into the apparatus; a first separator station including means for separating magnetic from non-magnetic material; a first receiving deck for magnetic material located adjacent said first separator station; a second receiving deck for non-magnetic material, said second deck being gravitationally spaced from said first separator station and from said first receiving deck; a second separator station including material sizing means in said first receiving deck, said sizing means comprising elongated tines having progressively increasing spaces therebetween in the direction of material flow; means gravitationally below a portion of said tines to receive material of a predetermined large size and prevent it mingling with smaller material passing gravitationally through said tines; an intermediate deck below and first deck and said tines to collect the smaller sized material, said first, second and said intermediate decks being stacked one above the other and in longitudinally off-set relation, and means operatively connected to the apparatus to vibrate said decks and cause flow of the scrap material.
 2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said second station includes means for subjecting said smaller sized material to magnetic separation; and means adjacent said second magnetic separation to direct the magnetically separated material out of the apparatus.
 3. In scrap material processing apparatus, the combination which includes: a first deck extending longitudinally in the apparatus; a scrap material receiving deck above said first deck; a second deck longitudinally spaced from said receiving deck; an intermediate deck between said second deck and a portion of said first deck; means in the space between said receiving and second decks operative to separate magnetic from other materials and move the magnetic materials onto said second deck, said receiving deck having a discharge for said other materials adjacent said magnetic separator means and above said first deck; means adjacent said second deck to discriminate between acceptable and unacceptable sizes of magnetic material; a collecting deck between said discriminating means and said intermediate deck to collect the unacceptable material independently of the material collected by said intermediate deck; and means to vibrate said decks to cause the material to flow along said decks.
 4. The apparatus set forth in claim 3 wherein said magnetic separating means includes a rotary drum at the space between said receiving and second decks, and each of said receiving and second decks having means adjacent said drum to vary the spacing with said drum.
 5. The apparatus set forth in claim 3 wherein said receiving deck has a material discharge adjacent said magnetic separator means, and an adjustable plate is operatively mounted adjacent said discharge from said receiving deck, said plate being movable toward and away from said separator means.
 6. The apparatus set forth in claim 3 wherein said second deck includes a flop gate adjacent said magnetic separator, and means resiliently supporting said gate to engage magnetic material released onto said second deck and to yield to material magnetically retained on said magnetic separator.
 7. In scrap material processing apparatus, the combination which includes: a material receiving deck and a first deck spaced therefrom in substantially the same elevational plane; magnetic separator means at said space between said decks to lift magnetic material from said receiving deck and drop it on said first deck; material size discriminating means adjacent said first deck including elements arranged in spaced outwardly diverging relation to allow progressively larger magnetic scrap material to pass through with distance travelled from said first deck; a second deck gravitationally spaced from said discriminating means to catch smaller magnetic material dropping through said diverging spaces; means between said discriminating means and said second deck and located under the spaced elements to cut-off gravitational passage of predetermined larger sizes of magnetic scrap material onto said second deck, and means operatively connected to the apparatus to vibrate said decks and cause the material to flow.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said last named means is adjustable to predetermine the size of the scrap material to be discriminated by the apparatus.
 9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein a third deck extends below said receiving deck and said second deck to receive non-magnetic material from said receiving deck, said third deck and said second deck extending into a substantially common discharge station, and means adjacent said discharge station to separate magnetic material from non-magnetic material and release the same into separate discharge paths. 